Rapid Fire Spanish

This morning, at breakfast, there was a loud speaker outside, it startled Siena. I listened and explained to her that it was simply a vendor selling fruit. (That's a pretty common thing here - vendors or political mesages being broadcast from the back of a truck over a loud speaker, driving through the streets). Siena responded, "well it was 'rapid fire Spanish' and I couldn't understand it". LOL We all had a chuckle over that. 

Breakfast was pineapple (piña blanca y amarilla), eggs, toast, queso, jugo (naranjaria). Maria led prayer this morning after breakfast we reflected on the daily gospel reading for today - that God provides and we never have to worry about our daily needs. We talked about how sometimes we get preoccupied with worries of this world, and forget to be in the present. Our prayer was about staying in the moment!  A quote was from Aloysuis Gonzaga, "its better to be a child of God, then king of the world".

After breakfast we headed to Casa Damien to do some work projects. The art room was set up with all the crafts that the patients had made. We were invited to choose crafts that we wanted to buy and Jesenia and Lisette (who works at the Casa) marked down the prices of the items and created a list for us. No money is exhcnaged with the patients directly so that feelings don't get hurt. It's all done in the art room, then the money is given to the patients later. 

Abel and Jesenia (two Ecuadorian High School students) joined us to help translate for us. They are English students so they were interested in practicing their English with us. Once they had arrived, Annie and Hermania (the Ecuadorian lady who will take Annie's place when she retires), got the kids started with a project. They removed all the screens from the windows on the women's side of the clinic and began cleaning them. While they were doing that, Sr. Annie and I unpacked all the donations.

We were also brainstorming ways that Maria and I could help raise awareness and money in the United States. It's expensive for Annie to go, and she went to the U.S. last year 6 times! When Hermania takes over for her, she won't be able to go the U.S. because the Ecuadorian government won't grant her a Visa. Also, navigating the beaucracy of the United States dioceses and the Society of the Propagation of the Faith offices, is difficult. Annie's already been declined permission to go to parishes to participate in the annual Mission Co-Op. So, we're trying to figure out how to help out. Any ideas would be appreciated!

At 1pm we gathered for lunch. Abel and Jesenia joined us. Then another 2 Ecuadorian High School students joined us, Brian and Joceline. They are all studying English. Brian and Joceline sat at our end of the table and I instantly struck up a conversation with Joceline. Lunch was Arroz con Pollo, queso, plantanos fritos. For dessert, we had snacks - I choose my favorite coconut cookies! I have to buy some of those to bring home - they are so good.

After lunch, we divided into groups - 3 of our group with one of the Ecuadorian students. Annie invited us to visit with the patients, practice our Spanish and have the Ecuadorian's translate for us and help us with our Spanish. I was paired with Coby & Ryan and Joceline. We talked with 4 different patients. Blanca first (who I had spent time with last night), she was not very talkative, neither were any of the other women, so we moved to the men's side of the facility. 

We spoke with one mad first, but his Spanish was very difficult to understand and he seemed to be rambling. 

The next man we spoke to was Maximo. He had come to the hospital for an operation, he had expected to stay for only a month, but had been there for 12 years! He worked picking fruit and is from Rios (a neighboring province of Guayas, Ecuador). He never got married or had children because he was always working. Later, Annie told us that he didn't want to leave! 

The next man we spoke to was Seguno. Ryan and Coby were having a hard time thinking of questions to ask -mainly because Jocelin was coaxing them to ask their questions in Spanish and they couldn't think of the words! Jocelin teased Ryan and said he got a "0" in her class! Seguno shared that he's been married 4 times. I asked how many children he has - 17! 3 with the first wife, 3 with the 2nd, 1 with the third, and wait for it...8 with the last one! Not sure what happened to each wife, but it was interesting to hear - oh, and he has 2 great-grandchild. He's 93 years old - the oldest patient there!

After visiting with the patients and interviewing them with our interpreters, we continued with our work project, reattaching the screens that the group had taken down and cleaned. 

 Then we went back to the art room to hear Carlos' amzazing story of determination. He contracted Hansen's Disease at 7 years old. Sr. Annie told us later that his mother did not trust the doctor and took him to a witch doctor instead of having him take the medicine that would have cured him. He subsequently had to go back to the hospital when he was twelve and then eventually had his leg amputated. The amazing thing about his story was that he kept saying, "gracias a la Dios" before began each part of the story. He learned carpentry and makes these beautiful wooden crosses. Another amazing thing is that his hands are completely disfigured with the disease.

Tonight we went back to the Guest House to rest for a bit before going to dinner. At 6:30 pm Manuel and Sr. Annie came back to get us. We went to a restaurant downtown called Aguacate (avocado), it was funny because none of the kids knew what to order - so Sr. Annie and I kept trying to translate the menu for them. Finally, we figured it out and ordered. It was another example of "rapid fire spanish" with the waiter asking and explaining what the dishes consisted of and us trying to figure it out. When the food came out, no one could remember what they had ordered, so that they kept calling out the names of the dishes, kids were looking at the dishes, but it wasn't what they were expected. Finally, we got it all settled and ate!